A Future Story
by AniBlaire
Summary: Rachel left the animorphs to be famous, but what has she missed?
1. Default Chapter Title

Out of the Loop   
Rachels Story 

Chapter One   
 I got the news during a autograph signing at the mall.  Marco was the bringer of the information.  "Well, for being twenty years old, you don't look any different from when you were fourteen. Except you're even taller,"  He said approaching me as I started gathering up my chairs.  The signing was over and the mall would be closing soon.   
 Marco, I can't believe it, you grew," I said teasing him, I had seen him only four times in the last six years, and I hadn't seen any of my old friends for at least two years.   
 "Ha, Ha.  Well, I came to tell you, we still have meetings in Cassie's Barn, only now it really is Cassie's barn.  She bought it from her parents and now they are retired living as camp hosts up at Yellowstone," Marco said putting me up to date.   
 "Really, is it equipped with club banners and a secretary?" I asked joking a little more.   
 "No, but Cassie hire Azel as her assistant, so we have, well I don't know, wait we do have a secretary, just like in the old Justice League comics were Wonder Woman was the secretary," Marco said almost seriously, almost.   
 "Ah, you don't have a Xena, but you got a Wonder Woman," I hadn't had this kind of exchange with someone for a long time.  Mostly I talked to my agent, who was always telling me of some boring advertisement I should do for some company, but never a real conversation.  It was Refreshing.   
 "Exactly, but the real reason I wanted to come was not just to talk about seventy-year old comics, but we wanted you  to come, this isn't a formal meeting, just talking about and other stuff, but you might want to come," Marco told me.   
 "What time, I have a meeting with an advertising manager at seven in the morning, so it can't be too late."   
 "Oh, it's in about twenty minutes, I could give you a lift if you want," He offered.   
 "Okay, that sounds great, I just have to get out of these clothes," I said pointing to the USA gymnastics leotard I had on.   
 "Don't worry, we may have some of the more formal meetings, but this isn't one of them.  You can just bring a jacket or something," Marco said, amazingly he handed me a jacket that was perfect.   
 "Where'd you get that?" I asked.   
 "Oh, I saw it in the Gap window and thought it would be perfect," he amazed on.   
 "Wow, thanks.   
 "Want to go?" he asked.   
 "Sounds good," I said letting him lead me to his car.   
 I don't know what I expected, but I know it wasn't what I saw.  Marco led us to a brand new Porsche.  He saw the look of surprise on my face and said, "You probably expected a Jetta or something, right?"   
 "Actually, I pictured you in a Jeep Wrangler," I said still awestruck.   
 "Oh, I have a couple of those too, and a Viper," he was just full of surprises.   
 "What?"   
 "Well, a couple of months ago I wrote a breakthrough web browser.  It is nearly as popular as WAA's browser, almost, but when 2.5 comes out, I think I'll topple them," Marco said with a grin from ear to ear on his face.   
 "I guess I'm not the only one who's been busy," I said grinning also.  Well, I'm sure Marco has more money than I'll ever have, I thought.   
 Then I thought, "You can't be spending all your money on cars, right?  I mean that is a whole lot of money."   
 I was right, "Remember a year ago when that big meteorite fell from the sky?"   
Marco asked hinting to me.   
 "Yeah, sort of."   
 "That wasn't a meteorite."   
 I had no idea where this was going.  "What?"   
 He smiled, "All of your question will be answered after the meeting."   
 "What ab-" I started.   
 "No, I want to show you personally," he said firmly.   
 We sat for the rest of the trip, thinking.   
    
 It was that stupid scout, if he hadn't told me that I was good enough, I had to come, or I'd be missing a chance of a life-time, argh, I would be helping my friends, and saving the world.  That's how it started, the scout saw me, and there I was, off to train for the 2004 Olympics. The others practically forced me to come, but I should have stayed home, kept fighting the yeerks.   
      Using the blue box they created a new member to take my place, her name was Azel. I was kind of mad at first, but I got used to the idea.   
      In the meantime I was training, 16 hours a day most of the time. It was rough, but I survived and went to the Olympics, I was captain of the USA team, I won two gold metals, and to add to that, Athens was very nice. Now I was back for a couple of months, but being kept busy. I was pretty popular.  It was my first day back, and I hadn't talked to my friends, the Animorphs, in months.  I was doing my job, signing autographs in front of a crowd, in the place I used to spend hours of free-time.   
    
 I thought about that a lot.  But that point of view had started to fade recently, it only came when I was deep in thought.   
 We pulled into Cassie's driveway, we went inside the barn, that wasn't quite a barn anymore.   There were animals inside, but only a few.  the area that used to be a big, juge animal area had a wall cutting its size by about 80%.  We walked through the door in the middle of the wall, and I came out into practically a whole new universe.  There was a big area with comfortable looking chair and a couch.  Jake was already here, in one side of the room he sat, and then on the other I saw Cassie.  They looked happy that we were here, I checked their hand for wedding rings, but there was none, not even the engagement ring I had recently heard about.  Another downside of being practically unreachable, I hadn't even heard that my cousin and best friend had broken off their engagement.   
 "Hi!" Cassie said throwing her arms around me and giving me a huge hug.  "We were hoping you could come.   We knew you were busy."   
 "Miss a chance to see what you've done with this place, never!" I said seriously.   
 "It's nice to see you," Jake said,  "Yeah, we've definitely made quite a few changes thanks to Marco."   
 "It looks like the pentagon in here" I said amazed.   
 "Yeah, we've done well for ourselves," I heard behind me, and when I turned around I saw someone I never thought.   
 "Tobias!" I yelled.   
      I ran up and gave him a hug, him, the real Tobias, not the hawk, and about 20 years old.   
      "You're in you're human form!" I screamed with delight.   
      "Yeah, a about 8 months ago Ax was able to combine my DNA with   
Azel's to make a full-time, but still morphable, Tobias," Tobias explained all the while grinning from ear to ear.   
      I felt a bit jealous of Azel, she had been chosen to become part of Tobias' DNA. If I had known at the time what the real reason for the choice was, I wouldn't have passed it off so easily.   
      "That's great!" I said excited for him. "I'm glad you're finally able to be human and Animorph, not one or the other."   
      Then Azel walked in. I had forgotten how stunning she was. Beautiful, probably 5'11" tall, great figure, well-manicured, auburn hair. Very good taste in clothes obviously, the last time I had seen Azel was five years ago when she became an Animorph.   
      "Hey Azel!" I said as she shut the door.   
      "Long time no see," she said giving me a casual look-over, probably noticing that I was wearing a USA leotard.   
      "Yeah, last time I saw you, well, you were taking my job," I joked. I held nothing against her, it was me who deserted   
      them. Not the other way around.   
      "Yeah, well, I don't do quite the job you always did, but I do okay," she said.   
      "No way, with Marco the zillionaire here, you probably hired someone that figured out how to wear regular clothing while morphing," I laughed.   
      "Not yet, but at least we can afford nice costumes," Marco said   
from behind me, wearing a nice looking, leather like suit, with several little weapons attached to these little pockets that fit right in.   
      "This, is the future of morphing, miniature shedders, temporary   
shields and all that."   
      "And you can morph with that?" I asked.   
      "We found a way to manipulate the material of our coat at nearly   
the sub-atomic level, thanks to Yeerk technology we stole, we added the genetic sequence that made it part of our DNA, it's really complicated," Marco told me without taking a breath.   
      "This definitely isn't the Marco I remember, that never wanted to   
sit through a conversation about Z-space phenomena," I said.   
      "Oh, he still doesn't, unless it's technology he came up with," Jake said very sarcastically.   
      Marco and Jake both laughed, "Inside joke," Marco told me.   
      "I think we should start the meeting," Jake said when he stopped laughing.   
      We all walked toward the couch and the chairs, we just sat wherever and Jake sat where everyone could see him.   
      Okay, Cassie, what has your team discovered about the downtown center kandrona feed?" Jake asked her.   
      That made me jump abit. "Team?"   
      "Ah, yes, I forgot. Rachel, the six of us are not the only morph capable humans in the world," Marco told me to my amazement.   
      "We're not," I said still very surprised. I had thought that we were the only six in the world that even knew there were morph capable humans.   
      "No," Jake said, "Actually we have 30. Each of us Animorphs, including Ax, who happens to be with his team on a mission right now, are in charge of 4 team members of different skill. Mostly kids no older then we were when we got the power. Using the escafil device we created the A.R.T. Animorph Reconasaince Teams. We do everything from simple reconasaince to weapon destruction to weapons design. Ax and his group make regular scouting trips to find and created counterstrike weapons for the ones the yeerks make.  Azel and her team take care of controllers that have gone crazy, many have lately, and end up on killing sprees or petty robbery. Tobias, Marco, and Cassie are in charge of reconasaince for all things of extra terrestrial origin, and I command the raids, along with the placement and approval of all missions," he said with very long wind.   
      "Wow, that was a little more than I expected," I said amazed at the thoroughness of my cousin.   
      "You think he's bad now, you should see him at formal meeting with   
all the teams," Marco said seriously, probably to keep me on my toes.   
 "I was wondering," I started, "what if one of them gets caught, we'd be in deep crap."   
 "It's very risky," Jake said, "But it has happened before."   
 "What do you mean, how could it happen?"   
 "You have to understand, Rachel.  Winning this war is very important.  You always have to take risks and make sacrifices for the cause," Jake started getting his responsible speaking voice on.   
 "What are you getting at Jake?" I asked him annoyed at not getting a strait answer.   
 "Every one of our troops is equipped with suicide pills encase they are caught.  Now we are getting implants that will kill a yeerk, along with the would-be host once they enter the ear canal," Jake said finally.  "Better dead than a controller I think the Hork-Bajir once said."   
 "They kill themselves?" I asked amazed.  I had never thought that someone would allow themselves to die, instead of becoming a controller.  I always knew that I would if possible, but I thought that I was a special case.   
 "Yes, but it has only happened once.  Erin Sylven, a good kid," Jake said solemnly.  He probably felt responsible for every member of the group.   
 "Unfortunately," Cassie started, looking angry, "that is not the only casualty we have had in this war," Jake gave her a look that meant, not now, but Cassie continued anyway, "Last year when we began using these suits, we lost two members because of faulty wiring, when they morphed out the shredders exploded," Cassie wasn't the Cassie I remembered.  Jake looked at her furiously, obviously not happy with her outburst.  "Some of us don't agree with using technology from the enemy to help the cause."   
 "We'll talk about this later," Jake growled.  I could see that they had become very, very far apart since I had seen them last, probably bickering quite often.  It didn't make for good teamwork.   
 "So," I said trying to get the conversation started after the uncomfortable silence, "How are your parents liking Yellowstone," I asked Cassie.   
 It worked, "Oh, they love it up there.  They got a nice RV and Aisha's taking care of the animals up there.  I got a letter from them today, they said they wish I could see it," Cassie said smiling again.  Everyone went back to the way they were before the argument.   
 "Ok, so what did you discover about the Kandrona feed?" 

Chapter Two   
 After the formalities of the meeting were over, discussing team findings and what not, we were able to talk about the last six years.  Whenever we got to Jake and Cassies relationship, there was another uneasy silence.  Finally Jake said it was time to go.  I was glad for that.  I wanted to talk to old friends, and as stupid as it sounded, I didn't like being around Azel, she really bugged me.  I had no idea how much she would end up bugging me in the future, or I would have left and gone to my hotel immediately.   
 "So," I said as we were standing up to leave, "Where are you staying Tobias, got a job like the rest of us?" I was joking, but it didn't sound as well when said as it did in my mind.   
 "Yeah, I work at the Club.  Well, right now anyway, we're watching the yeerk activity there," He said in a unimportant tone.   
 "Club, what is that, I heard some of my stage crew talking about it earlier?" I asked trying to jump start a conversation.   
 "The club is a yeerk facility used to make adult controllers.  As the Sharing was for kids before it "unexpectedly" was shut down," Tobias smiled at the memory.  The Sharing was a front organization used to get voluntary hosts out of teen and younger, it got adults too, but this was probably much more effective.  "We recently found that at least 20 host a night were taken.  This is one of our most dangerous facilities.  I have been careful not to use their "showers". But, at least we have a spy in deep.  I see plenty that goes on there," Tobias told me.   
"Where are you staying?" I asked casually.   
"Right here, actually," Tobias said leading me to the back of the complex.  It had nice individual rooms, along with spartan bunks.  Tobias' room was nicely decorated.  I scanned it over quickly and decided he was a fine decorator.   
I don't know if I just didn't see it, or if I tried to ignore it.  Pass it off as something regularly explainable.  Anyway though, there was a piece of women's underware lying on the ground partially under the bed.  But if I did see it, I didn't remember it.  That made it harder.   
"Nice," I said with a warm smile.  "Hey, are the other rooms taken?  I don't feel like going back to my hotel, my agent bothers me enough as it is, I need a rest from the publicity," I asked Tobias hoping to get a positive answer. 


	2. Default Chapter Title

Chapter Two   
 After the formalities of the meeting were over, discussing team findings and what not, we were able to talk about the last six years.  Whenever we got to Jake and Cassies relationship, there was another uneasy silence.  Finally Jake said it was time to go.  I was glad for that.  I wanted to talk to old friends, and as stupid as it sounded, I didn't like being around Azel, she really bugged me.  I had no idea how much she would end up bugging me in the future, or I would have left and gone to my hotel immediately.   
 "So," I said as we were standing up to leave, "Where are you staying Tobias, got a job like the rest of us?" I was joking, but it didn't sound as well when said as it did in my mind.   
 "Yeah, I work at the Club.  Well, right now anyway, we're watching the yeerk activity there," He said in a unimportant tone.   
 "Club, what is that, I heard some of my stage crew talking about it earlier?" I asked trying to jump start a conversation.   
 "The club is a yeerk facility used to make adult controllers.  As the Sharing was for kids before it "unexpectedly" was shut down," Tobias smiled at the memory.  The Sharing was a front organization used to get voluntary hosts out of teen and younger, it got adults too, but this was probably much more effective.  "We recently found that at least 20 host a night were taken.  This is one of our most dangerous facilities.  I have been careful not to use their "showers". But, at least we have a spy in deep.  I see plenty that goes on there," Tobias told me.   
"Where are you staying?" I asked casually.   
"Right here, actually," Tobias said leading me to the back of the complex.  It had nice individual rooms, along with spartan bunks.  Tobias' room was nicely decorated.  I scanned it over quickly and decided he was a fine decorator.   
I don't know if I just didn't see it, or if I tried to ignore it.  Pass it off as something regularly explainable.  Anyway though, there was a piece of women's underware lying on the ground partially under the bed.  But if I did see it, I didn't remember it.  That made it harder.   
"Nice," I said with a warm smile.  "Hey, are the other rooms taken?  I don't feel like going back to my hotel, my agent bothers me enough as it is, I need a rest from the publicity," I asked Tobias hoping to get a positive answer.   
"Yeah, they are all open.  Only time we use them is when we need to relocate someone before making them part of the group.  Then they get new identities and new lives," Tobias assured.   
"Good, I think I'll hit the sack now then," I told him and went into an empty room.   
"Night," Tobias told me and shut the door. 

I shouldn't have gotten up, I know that.  If I would have ignored the giggles, the grunts, I would have been fine.  But unfourtunately, I didn't.   
I was awkoken at about three in the morning, by the sounds coming from the living room.  I thought it was a burglar, I guess, and I was about ready to snap their neck.  Actually, I didn't hear the giggles, or the grunts, at first, I just heard a heavy object landing on what must have been the couch.   
I got up from my bed, pulled a robe on, and looked for something like a baseball bat, finding none, I decided I could take whoever it was without it, and went out to investigate.   
The guestrooms where seperated by a wall from the living room.  The door didn't have any locks, so I swung it open to confront the thief, when I saw Azel and Tobias, I swung it closed again.   
"Dammit!  Dammit Dammit Dammit!"   
Tobias and Azel!  Why hadn't I realized?  I couldn't just start where I left off.  Of course Tobias wouldn't wait for me.  Tobias had to get on with his life.  He couldn't possibly wait for me to come home, if I was ever going to come home again.  Stupid! 

To be continued!   
Sorry!  I don't have a lot of time to write, but after June 9, I'm out of school and have mucho time! 


End file.
